aurora
by SebonzaMitsuki27
Summary: FaiSakura. Anthology. Their love was an enchantment, spellbound by the highest calibre.
1. his only princess

aurora

**fai **& **sakura**

_( wish )_

disclaimer: tsubasa reservoir chronicle belongs to clamp.

* * *

He can't remember when he first started thinking her as his princess.

Was it when he first saw her pretty smile? When her innocent laughter started echoing in his ears, a gentle reminder to him that it was okay to be happy? When he caught her when she fainted in the café in the country of Oto so long ago? When he whistled and used his powers to protect _her_ then? When he had noticed, long ago, that she was someone just like him? Or was it when he first discovered that without meaning to that she had filled a hole in his heart, and had realized far too late that he had become attached to her?

Had he cast the spell himself, inevitably drawn to her smile of sunlight and cherry blossom, which slowly thawed his landscape of frozen snow and blizzards? Was it her ethereal beauty; apple green eyes and auburn hair?

Or was it because no matter how tragic and sorrowful was to become of the mysterious magician, he still wished for his princess – _the_ princess – to have her happily-ever-after?

No matter if she was a fabrication of someone else's creation, no matter if she was a replica of someone; she was still his…

She was still his Sakura-chan.

Maybe it was because he had subconsciously, perhaps even unconsciously became aware of his desire to protect her, to help her no matter what the consequences were, to love her no matter whether her heart belonged to him, or the boy just like her, he would still; eternally, endlessly, everlastingly aid her… protect her… _love her._

One small kiss from his cold lips; pressed against her warm hands; and he knew.

She was…

"_My __**only**__ princess."_

* * *


	2. take care of him

aurora

**fai** & **sakura**

_( hope )_

* * *

She had never meant to hurt him.

It was inevitable, she knew; that she wasn't the one who could shelter him from the world; unlike him, who had tried so hard to protect her, to make sure she felt loved; they could not fight fate and spare themselves the hurt that had to come.

She had known what was coming, and did not reproach him. After all, it was not his fault, but a curse that caused him to act in this manner.

When the sword had pierced her, she had seen him, with a heavy heart and darkened silk eyelashes, their eyes smouldering with a duty they did not want. She had seen his world break apart, the precious memories pieced together like chains, but filled with the memories of the wishes and dreams, the smiles and laughter, mirrored in their reflection.

Memories of him and her broke apart as the magician lost control, tears falling from his face, the cry of horror torn from his mouth as magic burst forth as he finally become aware of what he had done; the heinous sin that he had committed.

He had never meant to hurt her.

Understanding this, as Sakura touched Fai's hand, neither one noticing that she held on for far too long, comforting him, reassuring him, trying to trade her hopes and dreams for his burden of pain, his sorrow that he had tried so hard to hide from her.

With her fragile arms, she embraced him, murmuring soothing word to quell his fear, to wash away the blood that neither of them wanted to spill. Gradually, both of them stopped shaking, trembling from the secrets that they kept from each other.

And they made a promise; silently, as the chains clinked and fastened in different places, a sad smile that both of them wore touched the corners of their lips, no different to the ones that were reserved for each other.

Regretfully, she let go, her arms loosening to stand once more, she felt something as emerald eyes glimmered, reflecting sapphire's sorrow.

She wanted to be the one who took care of Fai.

He wanted to be the one who took care of Sakura.

In time they would create a fairy tale worthy of a love between a magician and a princess, recalling the pain, the burdens, but also the shared hopes and wishes in summer skies and autumnal winds, in spring's showers and wintery awes.

They would learn how to change the future, and although it may be expected, the damage caused could be lessened through the bonds of friendship and something more. There might be secrets and lies, replications and false impressions, but even so.

They had never meant to hurt each other.

* * *


	3. drunk

aurora

**fai** & **sakura **

_( uninhibited )_

* * *

"Let's make ears with our handkerchiefs!"

In the short run, with Sakura's and Fai's inebriated state, that was _not_ the best choice of words to say. With Kurogane becoming more aggravated as the seconds passed by, the kitty-cat duo fashioned themselves new pairs of ears; continuing with a glorious growl worthy of a true big bad black-wolf, the two kittens, in their two intoxicated predicament… ran. As fast as they could, hand in hand or rather, paws.

Scampering energetically, both of them meowing and mewing like there was no tomorrow – for cats live in the present, living in the moment, they tried to avoid the stomping doggy and misaligned puppy. Hence, their current situation, masqueraded by shadows.

They were hiding in the closet, faces very close, clinging for dear life, giggling in the dark, with only faint glimmers of the other cat's face as vision. As dedicated as they were to be skilfully silent, they could not stop the quiet laughter. The origami-made ears had long since slipped away, forgotten in a game of cat and dog.

And in Sakura's stupor, having been affected by the amount of alcohol, impulsively, and with true finesse and adorability of a kitten, suddenly leaned in and met Fai's lips with her own, spontaneously kissing him again and again, her cheeks glowing a hue of a graceful pink rose, fresh from its bloom. _"Fai…"_ She breathed, repeating his name like an incantation to her sanctuary in her dreamlike haze. Taking it into stride, he kissed back, liquor clouding his judgement, foretelling a bad headache the morning after.

Unfortunately, the door to the clandestine place was yanked open, _just_ as Sakura pulled away. The magician himself was grateful (although secretly, unbeknownst to Sakura, he would have liked to continue) that the darkness hid his flushed face, now not a shade of porcelain white. He ran, slipping through the hesitation, as Kuro-doggy took the drowsy princess to bed, much to the infuriation of the swordsman that he was not able to catch _both_ of the mischievous cats. Still, in true kitty style, Fai thought, as he meowed through the night, promising himself to remember her saccharine kisses, his fleeting happiness contagious to the spinning Mokona. It was pity that Sakura…

Kittens don't look back… even if one of them didn't remember.

* * *


	4. in your arms

aurora

**fai** & **sakura **

_( dance )_

* * *

She wondered if this was what a first kiss felt like.

They moved in unison, in slow motion, swaying to the tune that had cast a spell over them; her hand clasped in his, his arm around her waist.

She wasn't sure if they were moving, or if the music that lilted in the background had stopped, but she was aware that her peony lips had parted; emerald swirling in a sea of sapphire, pale skin glowing a rose pink.

Only a simple smile had been said, a simple glance, a simple touch, a simple look, but nonetheless, her breath had been taken away like dandelions dissipating delicately in the playful wind, summer skies clear without silver-lined clouds.

Taking another breath, she realized that Fai was speaking.

"… let's practise a little bit longer." The magician murmured in her ear, holding her lithe body closer to his frail heart, his hand tightening his hold on hers, not wishing to release her from his grip. Not just yet.

"… for a little while…" The princess agreed; resting her head on his chest, listening to the tune that beat to her own, however fragmented.

It was strange that this dance with two strangers had drawn them together, promising a fairytale waltz, a fairytale romance, magic sparkling in air, in his elongated arms and in her tender heart.

And for what seemed like eons, they danced to 'a song to pass the time', neither one wanting to let go.

* * *


	5. grapevines

aurora

**fai** & **sakura **

_( telephone )_

* * *

He could not help but allow her to take his place. To see her viridian-green eyes blaze with sincere determination and watch her cheeks flourish in passion, at the idea of contributing to the mysterious adventure and discover the beast. He didn't realize as he cheered, his heart quickening as he thought of her; his grin became goofy, wider and he glowed, basking in the unknown, but pleasant emotion. His azure eyes softened as he watched her figure retreat with two protectors.

The rabbits, however, had seen and with shifty eyes and concluded their version of the truth.

"He's looking at her!" One cried.

"He's sighing, wishing he could be with her!" Another called.

"His smile is so wide!"

"His eyes are so bright!"

"Look! Look! He's blushing!" The rabbit pointed at him, floppy ears bouncing in excitement.

"It's true!"

"What is?"

"That he likes her!"

"He definitely likes her!"

"That's wrong!" A rabbit chirped.

"How come?" Big eyes watered.

"Because he's in love with her!" One whispered, voice conspiratorial.

A stunned silence. Fai felt his own pale cheeks burn and could not say anything. Denial seemed to thicken in his throat and he could not protest against their correct judgement. But the smile could not, however strained, leave his face.

"He's not denying it." A rabbit mused.

"So it's true!"

"It _must_ be true!" Another announced.

"He told us it was true!"

"So it's official!"

"The wizard loves the princess!" The rabbits all declared, arms folded, their voices chorused to perfection.

Smiling awkwardly, he moved away from that gossiping corner, his attention drawn away from the princess by dwelling on the well-being of his other companions. And once more an intricately woven tale of _telephone _began, nature acting like grapevines, spreading the message like wildfire. Only this time, it was Sakura who was their subject of attention, masqueraded in supernatural matters of her feathered heart.

* * *


	6. echo

aurora

**fai** & **sakura**

_( possibility )_

* * *

The butterfly effect was an odd concept, its sparkle spreading like tears that traced down the porcelain cheek of invisible air. Change one tiny thing in the past and the consequences that happened were irrevocable, rippling out as smoothly as mirrored wings beating to maintain stability, the soft breeze, gentle as a brushing touch, altered the course of the future, defining it once more, rewriting paths in the flicker of a smile.

If Syaoran hadn't turned back time… then so many events might not have happened.

Perhaps he would not have had a twin. Perhaps he would not have been considered cursed and locked in a solemn tower, watching the snow fall and protect him, obscuring the ugly world with bland lies. Perhaps it might have happened, even without Syaoran's decision, perhaps not. Who could say? The outcome was never predictable, not even when the cards were in his favour, or falling apart.

There was a chance that he would have never met Sakura—

Her smiles, her fears, her tears, her gentle hand, the blush on her cheeks, her adorable clumsiness, those pretty memoirs engraved on his heart, all those memories that made his day and smile when he wanted to… would they never have happened? Would he have never… _fallen?_ The sound of her voice, the music in her mind, the sparkle in her bright eyes, which often dimmed and burnt with passion… surely the were destined to meet… regardless of Syaoran's actions.

He dared not think otherwise.

A life without a twin, a life without a brother, a life where he would have become the next king; to believe in a world of 'what if's and 'maybe's, in one where he might have been happier would have been… a life without meeting _her_.

And his heart, broken, fragmented, selfish as it was, could not bear it. The very thought pierced his magical shield, shattering his soul.

For that reason, he did not blame Syaoran, standing before them with guilt-ridden eyes, an expression that the magician used to wear so often on his face, hidden behind masquerades of inexplicable happiness and optimism. He was only following his heart – what fault was there in that?

If Fai had never known Sakura, his only princess, then his life would have been one with a loss of love and happiness, an echo of the life he lived right now.

He loved her, falling her beautiful smile and compassion; and for that, he was grateful that the past, the future had been changed, aligning his destiny with hers and entwining their delicate hearts, forever to be connected.

* * *


	7. quintessence

aurora

**fai **& **sakura**

_( forever )_

* * *

There was not a single flower in the garden as pretty as her. For although she was a mixture of them: her skin as soft and smooth as a cherry blossom, her eyes as green as grass, her lips as red and lovely as rose petals, she was a being made of china and clay.

With laughter in the air, as Sakura-chan twirled and waltzed in the garden built from their friendships, she plucked a single white rose from the bush. Glancing back, her eyes met Fai's, and she looked away again, cheeks imbued with a glow that wasn't there before, and a smile graced her face.

However, she could not but jump when the magician placed a hand on her shoulder and a sweet-scented flower in her hair, his breath tickling her ear as amusement softly swayed her heart to beat faster once more.

"Here's a rose, for Sakura-chan, and a kiss, also for Sakura-chan." Fai teased, his lips gently touching her forehead, her hand and the corner of her mouth. "Three's a charm, or so they say."

The blush that unfurled on the princess' skin was more than enough as a reward. As he smiled, his own face a little flushed than before.

"Then… here's a rose and a kiss… for Fai-san." Trembling, but eager to return the favour, she placed her own plucked rose in his ear, and her lips met his forehead when she stood on her tiptoes, his nose, and the opposite corner of his mouth.

Perhaps it was just the sun, but for a second, the magician's face bloomed into a rose garden, the princess' along with it.

It was a game they played, with feelings they dared not deny.

"It's beautiful, this garden of ours." She whispered, her dulcet voice sweet like honey, her arms around him; his arms embracing her tightly, never to let go ever again in their happily ever after.

"Yes, it really is." His voice murmured, lost in the moment as his lips met hers.

Their garden had bustled from a simple friendship, seeds that burst and began to grow, thawing away the cold frost of winter, and eventually blossomed a romance of sunlight skies, flowers that flourished in the rain, where feelings were unspoken, but very much known. And after everything that they had been through, under the zenith of the sun and the flowers that were scattered into the air, only those three words could be said.

"I love you."

Because no matter how many spells he could have cast, she would have fallen for him by her own destiny, and nothing could defy that. He had fallen with her, landing on a bed of roses, shaded in many different colours, her hand in his. Together they fell in love, without magic, without incantations, but nonetheless, the love that they shared was an enchantment, spellbound by the highest calibre.

"I love you too."

And in this garden, there was not a single flower that had bloomed as beautifully as her before his very eyes.

* * *

**a/n.** _And so ends this anthology. It's been wonderful writing this, so thank you all for reviewing, alerting and favouriting. I loved every minute of it._


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